# House Speaker Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 12, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770 "2022-11-12T00:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/461 "2023-01-03T23:22:43Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > One person in a tight spot is Joe Biden, because the next speaker, chosen with no Democratic input whatsoever, is going to refuse to bring his bills to a vote, even if they could narrowly pass. That’s why the House has a discharge petition. [https://archives-democrats-rules.house.gov/archives/discharge\_pet.htm](https://archives-democrats-rules.house.gov/archives/discharge_pet.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/462 "2023-01-03T23:23:16Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > One person in a tight spot is Joe Biden, because the next speaker, chosen with no Democratic input whatsoever, is going to refuse to bring his bills to a vote, even if they could narrowly pass. I don’t know why you think this will be different with or without “input” from Democrats. Republicans as a caucus are singularly focused on giving Dems/Joe Biden no wins whatsoever. Also, you should probably acquaint yourself with discharge petitions. There are ways for Dems to force votes if they have enough assistance from moderate Republicans. I refer you to an earlier post in the thread as one example. > [@House Speaker Contest](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/361): > > Ninja’ed! [Here’s Wikipedia on Discharge Petitions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discharge_petition#In_the_U.S._House_of_Representatives), if anyone’s curious; I was just reading up on them myself. This could be a very powerful tactic for Democrats, if there’s a weak Speaker. ETA: Ninja’d by @silentus! ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/463 "2023-01-03T23:23:28Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Okay, but then why is Congress polling so poorly? I saw a brief bit on the news this morning with Lauren Boebert (I think) saying much the same thing; that Congress is unpopular and she, and her ilk, are trying to change it. The problem is, I don’t think she has any clue why it’s so unpopular with so many of us. I would like to see more cooperation, more bipartisanship, more compromise. The Freedom Caucus’s (ugh) plans to fix Congress are to do more of the things that have broken it. When that fails, they’ll do it even more! The feedback system is horribly broken. On average, everybody likes their own congressperson, but the rest of them suck. I don’t see that as a problem, but either way, given increasing polarization, I don’t see better collaboration increasing approval….most legislation is mostly seen as zero-sum. Occasionally you do see a bounce, like around 9/11, but it’s rare. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/464 "2023-01-03T23:23:43Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > One person in a tight spot is Joe Biden, because the next speaker, chosen with no Democratic input whatsoever, There was never a chance in hell that the next speaker would be chosen with any Democratic input. The current crop of Republicans are not about bipartisanship, or compromise, or leadership or governing. They are the party of “no”. The party of obstruction. Even when they hold the majority in the House, they are the Party of Obstruction. They are now obstructing themselves. Their only plan at this point is to hold hearing after hearing after hearing about Hunter Biden’s laptop, and how those poor insurrectionists were treated so meanly by the Bad Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/465 "2023-01-03T23:26:29Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > On average, everybody likes their own congressperson, but the rest of them suck. I Eh, the majority of people in a congressional district like their congressperson, that’s how they got elected. But somewhere between 10-49% of those in the district do _not_. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/466 "2023-01-03T23:31:07Z")
The news on this today has been a sheer delight! My friend captured a picture on his phone of the news on TV with Nancy Pelosi smiling (or laughing) with the headline “McCarthy appears to lose speakership vote”. Couldn’t happen to a nicer weasel. 😂 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/467 "2023-01-03T23:33:02Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I don’t see better collaboration increasing approval…. Why not? You said “Congress, as a whole, polls poorly despite a history of boring leadership contests.” When did that poor polling start? As Congress has gotten more polarized, has public approval gone up or down? My impression (and I can try to find some support for this if requested) is that approval has gone down in recent decades, just as the partisanship and disfunction has increased. Correlation does not equal causation, but I think it’s a better place to start than the Freedom Caucus’s obstinate opposition. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/468 "2023-01-03T23:36:08Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > There was never a chance in hell that the next speaker would be chosen with any Democratic input. I’m wondering whether this isn’t mostly because there is a tradition, in the U.S., of non-interference in the speakership selection process by the minority party. In the U.K. House of Commons, despite generally greater party discipline, there is a tradition that the speaker acts in a non-partisan manner, and that’s what happens. So I’m not sure it is written in stone that the way it has always been, when it comes to speaker selection, can’t change. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/469 "2023-01-03T23:36:09Z")
Well first, I didn’t say that, some other poster did. And second, approval has increased negligibly in the era of polarization, but it’s lower than long-term. > **[Congress and the Public](https://news.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx)** > > Do you approve or disapprove of the way \[ROTATED -- The Republicans in Congress. The Democrats in Congress.\] are handling their job? Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/470 "2023-01-03T23:38:17Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Some individual GOP members are in a tight spot in that they consider it important to wrap up their leadership contest quickly, and they can’t do it. So far they haven’t shown that they can do it. At all. Nevermind quickly. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/471 "2023-01-03T23:39:54Z")
I am not sure who nominates candidates for SotH, but I read somewhere about a month ago someone suggested, half-jokingly, that Liz Cheney would garner all the Democratic votes, and likely some from Republicans - enough to become speaker. Wouldn’t that be great?! (if true). ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/472 "2023-01-03T23:41:23Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > In the U.K. House of Commons, despite generally greater party discipline, there is a tradition that the speaker acts in a non-partisan manner, The speaker in the UK (and in Canada) is a completely different kind of position. Like, utterly different. You are correct - the speaker in these countries is non-partisan. They oversee the debates in the house of commons, and rule on matters of decorum and debate, based on rules of order. What they DO NOT do, is decide what bills may come to the floor, or who is appointed to cabinet posts. They have very limited power within the party. They are a debate moderator. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/473 "2023-01-03T23:45:15Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I’m a Democrat. But, in the abstract, the idea that Democrats vote for party leaders unanimously does not endear me to said party. The Democrats are far from a lock step party. They had a similar disagreement with regard to Pelosi’s speakership in 2019. but they negotiated, and compromise and reached an effective consensus solution before the deadline. What happened to the Republicans doesn’t represent diversity of viewpoints it represents ineffective dysfunction. > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Indeed so. And there is no one else who has been nominated (both McCarthy and Jordan have at best minimized what happened on January 6) who is even close to acceptable to Democrats. That is the sad/scary/pick-your-adjective thing about this. The break isn’t between sane and loony republicans, its between, loony and batshit crazy. Around the 14th ballot I’m expecting Greene to stand up and nominate “Malcolm Peter Brian Telescope Adrian Blackpool Rock Stoatgobbler John Raw Vegetable Brrroooo Norman Michael _(rings bell)_ _(blows whistle)_ Edward _(sounds car horn)_ _(does train impersonation)_ _(sounds buzzer)_ Thomas Moo… _(sings)_ ‘We’ll keep a welcome in the…’ _(fires gun)_ William _(makes silly noise)_ ‘Raindrops keep falling on my’ _(weird noise)_ ‘Don’t sleep in the subway’ _(cuckoo cuckoo)_ Naaoooo… [Smith.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=666OKm08fRA)” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/474 "2023-01-03T23:47:10Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Well first, I didn’t say that, some other poster did. Oh, my mistake. I saw that @PhillyGuy had posted again and thought he was replying to my post as well. My apologies. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/475 "2023-01-03T23:47:13Z")
First will be Kevin Phillip BOOONGGG! (slightly silly party) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/476 "2023-01-03T23:47:31Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I am not sure who nominates candidates for SotH, but I read somewhere about a month ago someone suggested, half-jokingly, that Liz Cheney would garner all the Democratic votes, and likely some from Republicans - enough to become speaker. Wouldn’t that be great?! (if true). Eh, she voted 93% of the time with Trump, more than even Jordan. I really admire her actions on 1/6 and impeachment, but I don’t know that she would be all that much better. Though I guess it would be fun to poke Kevin McCarthy in the eye. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/477 "2023-01-03T23:48:30Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Oh, my mistake. I saw that @PhillyGuy had posted again and thought he was replying to my post as well. My apologies. That’s okay, everyone’s posting at once, I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often. 😅 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/478 "2023-01-03T23:48:44Z")
The Republicans have been fractured for a long time. It made it almost impossible for John Boehner and later for Paul Ryan. The R Speakers job is thankless and miserable. Imagine negotiating a bill and then have your own members fail to pass it. Ryan’s tenure was hell. Today was a shit show and embarrassing. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/479 "2023-01-03T23:50:16Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > What happened to the Republicans doesn’t represent diversity of viewpoints it represents ineffective dysfunction. It’s almost like they didn’t know the vote was today. “Holy Hell! I missed the dress rehersal!” ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/480 "2023-01-03T23:53:03Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > They are a debate moderator. Yes, more correctly they are the arbiter and voice of parliamentary business. > [@William Lenthall - Speaker House of Commons](#): > > _May it please your majesty, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as this House is pleased to direct me whose servant I am here; and I humbly beg your majesty’s pardon that I cannot give any other answer than this to what your majesty is pleased to demand of me._ During Charles I’s attempted arrest of the Five Members 1641. In the UK parliament, once appointed the Speakers seat in parliament is not challenged at subsequent elections and they do not attend their party room. In Australian parliaments the Speaker does caucus with their party, is opposed every election and is accordingly more party partisan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=25)